Is your daily driver over 20 years old?

Is your daily driver over 20 years old?

Author
Discussion

Davie

4,733 posts

214 months

Saturday 25th April 2015
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I've pretty much always driven older stuff... up until 6yrs ago I did nigh on 100k in a 1993 Cavalier Turbo and currently I have this, which has just turned 20 years old back in December and is a fraction off hitting the 250,000 mile mark. Would've done it but the damn odometer has broken, again.

It was used daily up until March but I've since bought something much newer to run for a few weeks whilst this one gets sorted, that said it's still on the road and still gets used... and when I say 'newer', newer being a 17 year old, 180,000 mile T5.


daytona365

1,773 posts

163 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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Had a simple old 89 Ford Transit, had it for 15 years and 165,000 miles never gave any trouble. Then 'Boris' decided it was too dirty for todays smart London living, forcing me to spend over 6000gbp for a 'clean' Mk7 Transit with 60,000 miles, well first the starter went, then the timing chain started rattling, needing new chain, guides and tensioner, now the turbo has started leaking oil !!......Wouldn't mind, but these are so awful and complicated to work on for a diy project.

s p a c e m a n

10,753 posts

147 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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1997 tvr chimaera, 10k a year. Think I've spent less than 1k in the 3 years that I've had it on broken bits, the most expensive thing was a new clutch.

daveofedinburgh

556 posts

118 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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1989 auto Eunos was perfect for a horrendous (Chiswick> Watford) daily commute. £895 of utter reliability and top down fun.

The 1990 UK MX5 it replaced was no less perfect. Only sold because I got sick of clutching on the north circular.

Followed these two with a 97 318is (not quite 20+ yet), another faultless, entertaining, sub £1K ancient daily.

Buy wisely, and a 20+ y/o daily is very doable. I could afford a newer, objectively 'better' DD, but experience has taught me that an old shed can actually save you a lot of cash. More money to spend on toys too.

Stuff like old Accords and Avensis would be my picks if space/ cruising is the priority. LS would be my no. 1, but your annual mileage may make the big V8 unrealistic.




BGarside

1,564 posts

136 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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'93 BMW 325i coupe, 68k miles, cover maybe 6-7k miles pa, 35mpg on a run, don't drive daily though.

Harji

2,196 posts

160 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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I don't drive daily , but since I bought this in Feb this year it's been first choice over the RX-8. Twenty two years old , 164,000 mile on the clock.




Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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SidewaysSi said:
Yep, Mercedes W124 E220. 1995, 94k and totally solid and reliable. A supremely comfortable car and I get over 35mpg on average out of it. Brilliant machine.
I still remember a trip to Cornwall driving my sisters nearly new W124 E220, it just lapped up the miles, great car!

MJK 24

5,648 posts

235 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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My daily for the past 16 years has been a 1985 VW Scirocco that has a turbo diesel engine. (All recorded and above board with DVLA, VOSA & Insurers).

That said, this winter just gone, it was SORNED for the first time ever as I begun to question the wisdom of subjecting a 30 year old car to months of salty roads!

It's a super reliable car and gives no bother whatsoever. Whilst deeply unfashionable when I bought it in late 1999, it now seems to be viewed a 'cool' and different choice to driving and attracts lots of positive comments.

Hasbeen

2,073 posts

220 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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daytona365 said:
Had a simple old 89 Ford Transit, had it for 15 years and 165,000 miles never gave any trouble. Then 'Boris' decided it was too dirty for todays smart London living, forcing me to spend over 6000gbp for a 'clean' Mk7 Transit with 60,000 miles, well first the starter went, then the timing chain started rattling, needing new chain, guides and tensioner, now the turbo has started leaking oil !!......Wouldn't mind, but these are so awful and complicated to work on for a diy project.
I used a 1980 Transit table top, with a body built to carry 4 horses as my daily for over a year. In Oz they came with a 4.1L straight 6 Falcon engine, so went well.

I only worked for a mate near by a couple of days a week, & used the truck for deliveries of advanced shrubs to nurseries the rest of the time, when not full of kids horses.

It was totally reliable, & not too bad on fuel either surprisingly.

Crosswise

410 posts

185 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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My daily MGB is more than double that at 44 years old. Still sees every type of driving and happy driving down the outside lane of the motorway with OD engaged. Very cheap insurance, no tax and parts are easily available and cheap. I can't think why I'd want to change it for anything else.

dmitsi

3,583 posts

219 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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20 this year. 1995 3 door Honda civic 1.5
Was the mil's which she gave to us three years ago as she doesn't drive it. We took it with 12k on it, now up to 26 so approx 4k a year.
All I've done to it is replace the exhaust Centre pipe and back box, small bit of rust on the shell that needed sorting for mot. Recently got some new alloys to replace the 13inch steels.
If drives faultlessly and is like new inside, I love the contrast to our z4 coupe.

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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Used to be, 1986 325i cabriolet. Daily driver for 4-5 years.


Now I drive a 'nearly new' (by comparison) 1998 E36 328.

M4cruiser

3,550 posts

149 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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crofty1984 said:
I've had a few 20+ daily drivers. Though the current one is only 16. 1.8 Avensis I bought for next to nowt. Brilliant thing. Though it does smell a little of dog.
+1

But mine's 15 years old and was purchased about 8 years ago, still going strong. Touch wooden dashboard....

Not dog smell, but the previous owners' foul tobacco smell eventually went.


DKL

4,480 posts

221 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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All mine are that old, well nearly. 944 is 25 yrs old and on 253k, rr is 21 yrs old at 196k and the 21 is only 18 yrs old and a mere 53k.
All used this time of year, although all out of action for a couple of days last week, typical. Still back up and running again now.
I sometimes think a newer car would be nice, last week was one of those times, but I'm not good at getting rid of things.

iacabu

1,348 posts

148 months

Sunday 26th April 2015
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mr_tony said:
39 years old last week.


Thanks to trackdemon for the pic.
She's going soon once a mag article is sorted. Going to miss her a lot.
cloud9
~begins searching through post history for more pics~

I ran my 91 Fiesta RS turbo as a daily. 20 miles per day then after a change of job down to 10 miles. Was always a bit paranoid about any noises and it did begin to have a few problems but sold it on for a 96 mx5 which had no issues as a daily, as you'd expect.

Now in something a little newer and prefer it.

Sitoni

43 posts

134 months

Monday 27th April 2015
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I used to drive the 1994 mr2 turbo until I bought the 2003 m3 in the background of the picture. Both great cars which offer different driving experiences. mr2 is not stock and can keep up with the m3 to 70mph.

XJSJohn

15,959 posts

218 months

Monday 27th April 2015
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mr_tony said:
39 years old last week.


Thanks to trackdemon for the pic.
She's going soon once a mag article is sorted. Going to miss her a lot.
Sadly sold on as i moved country, but i ran my '75 911 for 5 years at 20,000km / year in Singapore. In that time required a few new sets of boots, one new set of disks and a few pads, one clutch and oil changes every 10 - 15,000km.

Never missed a beat, i ran her from 31 years old to 36 years old.

They are tough old girls them old Porkers!!!



16v stretch

974 posts

156 months

Monday 27th April 2015
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Yep. It was registered 6 months before I was born too.



174k on it, and I've owned it for just over 5 years. I'll probably still own it when I'm 40, and petrol no longer exists. I'll just sit in it and make vroom vroom noises.

Edited by 16v stretch on Monday 27th April 09:47

ajh38

871 posts

149 months

Monday 27th April 2015
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The car that I drive most often is my 205, 25 years old this year.


imgurl

mr_tony

6,328 posts

268 months

Monday 27th April 2015
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XJSJohn said:
Sadly sold on as i moved country, but i ran my '75 911 for 5 years at 20,000km / year in Singapore. In that time required a few new sets of boots, one new set of disks and a few pads, one clutch and oil changes every 10 - 15,000km.

Never missed a beat, i ran her from 31 years old to 36 years old.

They are tough old girls them old Porkers!!!

Nice smile they are tough - and simple. When I bought it the screen washers weren't working. Removed stripped debunked and rebuilt the pump in just about an hour and it was sorted. In a newer car it would have taken an hour to find it and work out what parts to remove to get at it!

My new daily is already here - a 13 year old e46 m3 with only 76k. It feels space age in comparison and is a great drive, but the 911 is way more fun.

I seem to be crazy as my weekend toys are new and my dailies are old. Oh well, it works...